1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an imaging apparatus, and particularly relates to a technique for reducing a burden of an internal process for determining a correction amount of a dependent photosensitive pixel based on information obtained from a main photosensitive pixel.
2. Description of the Related Art
As a solid-state imaging element for use in an imaging apparatus such as a digital camera, a CCD solid-state imaging element, an MOS-type solid-state imaging element and the like are well known. In addition, as a photosensitive element of the solid-state imaging element, a photodiode is mainly used, and a large number of pixels are arranged in a matrix form in a light-receiving area.
In recent years, the need for higher resolutions and wider dynamic ranges has been intensified for the solid-state imaging element for achieving an improvement in image quality, and the need for higher resolutions has been met by increasing the number of pixels or downsizing one pixel to increase a density.
In addition, a method of dividing one photodiode to obtain an image having a high resolution, a method of using a difference in sensitivity between two photosensitive portions of different sizes to achieve a wider dynamic range, and the like have been proposed.
A solid-state imaging apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 9-205589 is such that each light-receiving portion is divided into two light-receiving areas having different sensitivities, and a signal of higher sensitivity, of signal charges read from each light-receiving portion, is multiplied by a limiter in a pixel before a saturated region is reached, and then added to a signal of lower sensitivity to form a video output signal. Characteristics such that output is changed for incident light that is essentially in an output saturated region are obtained. In this way, an output dynamic range is expanded.